The field will also include the unseeded Juan Martin del Potro, the last non-European to win a Grand Slam. His run to the Olympic singles final included victories over Djokovic and Nadal, while he defeated Wawrinka at Wimbledon. He has been granted a wild card.

Cilic will also be a challenger after his win over Murray in the Cincinnati Masters last week, while both Djokovic and Nadal will want to prove they have overcome recent fitness worries. However, given his recent run of brilliant form it will be surprising if 2012 champion Murray does not at least make the final.

Johanna Konta also has reasons to be upbeat, having been seeded 13th. She is at a career high in the rankings of 14 and will be aiming to go one better than her best performance to date at a Grand Slam, when she reached this year's Australian Open semi-finals.

Defending champion Serena Williams is the number one seed ahead of Angelique Kerber, who she had already faced in two Grand Slam finals this year, with one win each.

Their rivalry has been given added spice through the opportunity that awaits the German; if she can have a better tournament than the American she will replace her as world number one. Indeed, Kerber would already have done so had she not lost the final in Cincinnati last week.